The Foundation
We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, weโre committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.
The TeamThe Gates Foundationโs U.S. Program (USP) works to ensure all students in the US have access to educational opportunities, from Pre-K to postsecondary, that enable them to develop the knowledge, skills, and agency needed thrive as adults and contribute to their communities. Our goal is to make sure more students are on track to obtain a postsecondary credential with labor market value such that race/ethnicity and income are no longer predictors of student success.
Within USP, the Pathways strategy works to support all students โ particularly Black, Latino, and Indigenous students and students from low-income backgrounds โ to access the learning opportunities, mentorship, and navigation supports to transition successfully from high school to postsecondary education, and then acquire credentials of value and gain professional skills, agency, and social capital needed to thrive in the workforce.
Our culture shapes our choices about what we do and how we do it. We believe that energized people, working well together, fueled by great leadership in an inclusive environment can do extraordinary things. We expect foundation employees to intentionally embody our core values: optimism, collaboration, rigor, innovation, and inclusion.
*Applications accepted until 5 PM PT on Friday, March 7, 2025.
Your Role
The Associate Program Officer will play a crucial role in supporting the Education Pathways teamโs work to build pathways systems that equip students to successfully transition from high school to college, career, and beyond, with the skills, knowledge, connections, and credentials of value needed to launch successful careers.
Your work will support two key portfolios:
1) the Pathways national portfolio, which seeks to build a strong national pathways field, advancing shared goals, definitions, knowledge base, measures, and an agenda for action; and
2) the Pathways public goods practice, which develops evidence, tools, diagnostics, guides, and learning networks for states, school districts, institutions of higher education, and communities to effectively implement pathways-focused approaches.
A primary focus of your role will be to support and coordinate a coherent strategy across multiple US Program teams to modernize studentsโ math pathways from high school into postsecondary education and improve math learning.
You will provide project management support for these key portfolios and initiatives, build relationships with partner organizations, support team business processes and cross-program collaborations, and assist with developing and managing research and evidence-focused investments. In addition, you will partner with the Strategy, Planning, and Management teams and colleagues to support strategy and portfolio reviews and monitor the impact of foundation investments.
This full-time position with salary and benefits can be located in our offices in Washington, DC or Seattle, WA. Relocation benefits are available for this role. Our employees enjoy a flexible, hybrid schedule with ~50% of the time in office. This role is ineligible for remote work outside of these two locations.
What You'll Do
Support effective collaboration, evidence-based decision-making, and joint strategies across multiple program teams to modernize and foster more equitable and effective high school to postsecondary math pathways.
Effectively manage key external meetings and events from initial design through to follow-up actions, keeping partners informed of progress as appropriate; assist partners to develop and coordinate convenings, communities of practice, and additional programming.
Capture data and evidence coming in from grants, contracts, and partners; analyze and synthesize findings and use data to interrogate team hypotheses, support better decision making, and inform partners and key collaborators.
Draft sections of key documents, reports, and presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences, summarizing developments and recommendations for program areas and external partners.
Help design and operationalize processes and systems which feeds data and analysis from grants and research back into key strategy and portfolio management decisions.
Provide expert project management support โ including developing plans, supporting, and developing key deliverables, and ensuring effective communication โ for key initiatives, portfolios, or investments.
Responsible for ensuring portfolios and bodies of work comply with foundation governance processes including portfolio reviews and annual planning.
Responsible for the upkeep of crucial team, portfolio, and body of work documentation and accessibility across Pathways and also cross-US Program math initiatives.
Support inclusive culture through modeling behaviors and actions; escalate issues in a timely fashion to appropriate stakeholders.
Your ExperienceA Bachelorโs degree and a minimum of 5 years of prior relevant experience
Experience with and knowledge of key high school and postsecondary math pathways reforms and partner organizations, overall education pathways issues
Outstanding written and oral communications skills, including demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize data, research, and evidence; convey complex information
Strong collaboration and facilitation skills: ability to solve complex problems, navigate across multiple teams and priorities, maintain relationships with diverse collaborators, and co-design plans
*Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.
The salary range for this role is $115,800 to $173,800 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle, WA and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $126,200 to $189,400 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidateโs job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.
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Hiring Requirements
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
Candidate Accommodations
If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.
Inclusion Statement
We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion โ of voices, ideas, and approaches โ and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.
All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.